Trump Questions House GOP On Ethics

WASHINGTON (AP) – A coalition of government watchdogs and scholars is expressing concern about a vote by House Republicans to gut the independent Office of Congressional Ethics.

The groups, including Common Cause, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington and Judicial Watch, say in a letter to House leaders that the ethics office has strengthened congressional accountability since its creation in 2008.

The letter says the ethics office “has helped change a secretive and oft-perceived moribund ethics enforcement process” into one that is more accountable, active and bipartisan.

The letter comes after GOP House members voted behind closed doors Monday to give lawmakers themselves ultimate control over the ethics office, which was created after several bribery and corruption scandals sent lawmakers to prison.

Scholars including Norman Ornstein and Thomas Mann also signed the letter.